Beauty in the Breakdown
by naughtykittekat
Summary: Severus Snape gets far too many late night visitors for his liking. Dark story, Mature Themes, Language, AU.
1. Once Upon A Midnight Dreary

Title: Beauty in the Breakdown

Author: Riley (Naughtykittekat)

Unnecessary Disclaimer: Just borrowing for a time. I don't own anything except the mistakes and the plot.

* * *

It wasn't an ordinary knock. It was haggard, slow like a dying man's last breath. It was the briefest noise at first, as if the hand had struggled to gain purchase on the door, a soft scratch against the wood and then again trying to find the needed strength to knock. Then a hard pound followed by fingernails trembling against the small filthy pane. The house sensed something in its finality and allowed it to echo through the small house alerting those who may be with in.

The man of the house was used to late night visitors, he had his guard up at all times. Stealthily, he manoeuvred from his dimly lit library and down the even darker hall. He stood in front of the door, trying to look through it as if to sense who was on the other side, gauging the safety of opening the door. The intense pain was as palpable as if he was standing on the other side of the door. He placed a pale hand against it, almost in the exact same spot as the trespasser on the other side. His other hand hesitated ever so briefly as his fingers wrapped around the rusty doorknob and twisted gently.

A girl, who couldn't be any more than sixteen or seventeen, fell threw the threshold before the door opened all the way. She collapsed in a tangle of limbs on the rough-hewn stone floor of the hall bringing with her many questions and the frigid January air.

***

Time seemed to tick away as Severus studied the girl. Her face was swollen from multiple beatings; she had slightly healed gashes across her right cheek. Dried blood stained what was once a probably impeccably white t-shirt, which was also shredded and gave hints at what brutality might lay beneath. She was thinner than he had remembered, her denims hung loose about her hips emphasizing her bones as they stuck out at odd angles as she lay upon the floor. If it hadn't been for the girl's matted dirty brown curls he might not have recognized Hermione Granger.

In morbid fascination he watched as a fresh gash across her wrist slowly oozed blood to the straining staccato of her heartbeat. A soft, strained groan escaped dry, bloodstained lips and rocked Severus into action. Swiftly, he bent down and gathered the girl in his arms. It was a strange sight to behold; together they looked much like Michelangelo's _Pieta_. He cradled her in his arms as the red black blood danced rivulets down her fingers and splashed on to the floor leaving a trail from the front door, down the hall, up the stairs.

Once in the safety of his bedchamber Severus deposited the former student on the bed. It was a neat and tidy thing, hardly luxurious, but it suited him. Severus stared at her for only a moment trying to figure out why she had come to him before starting to cast quick charms to determine how serious her injuries were, rather what had more of a need to be taken care of first.

Gently he grasped the bleeding wrist, murmuring as he traced it with the tip of the wand. Slowly, the gash started to knit itself together before his very eyes. He let out a breath; he hadn't known he was holding. Some of the tension leaving his body, as bent down to open the nightstand drawer that was always stocked with a variety of potions. He dribbled a purplish one against the wound, sighing at the telltale hiss of healing. It stuck out an angry red against her sickly skin but at least it was healing.

On to more pressing issues, he forced a blood replenishing potion to her dry, bluish, bloodstained lips and tilted it coaxing her to swallow with a hand on her throat. He gave her two more in the same manner and a heady dose of something much stronger than Skele-o-Grow. Once the charms assured him that everything else was just bruises he undressed her with a quick vanishing charm. Her whole body seemed to pulse underneath his clinical eyes, as it should. Her face was not the only thing that was black and blue; her body was covered in marks of various sizes, shapes, and age. One was a clear outline of a boot, another ten crescent shaped nail marks, and her nipples seemed to have been bitten repeatedly. Multiple bruises of fingers and hands on her hips said all the things she couldn't right now. Carefully, he rolled her to her side to get a look at her backside. Thighs held more fingerprints and her buttocks was a frightening shade of purple. Her back was covered in older slightly healed flog marks and scratches from uncaring fingernails. In the bend of her neck and shoulder the Dark Mark was burned into her sallow flesh, still blistering from the cattle iron used to make it and turning an ashy shade of grey.

Taking out a large, unmarked jar of a specialized bruise salve he began the daunting task of covering her entire body with it. Slowly, methodically he worked his way up the legs, expert fingers kneading the delicate flesh. At her thighs and hips he spent extra time trying to will the salve to work immediately, even though he knew it would take multiple applications to ever rid her body of such transgressions upon her youth. He worked up her stomach past the swell of her breasts and out into each arm. Gently, he spread the salve against her cheeks and across the Dark Mark on her neck. He could feel like calling to like at the simple touch and drew his fingers away like he touched a hot kettle. He looked at her body one last time before covering her up, she looked like a perverse canvas of decidedly terrifying colours, but at least the swelling had visibly gone down.

***

A couple days later, Severus Snape had another late night visitor. He had removed himself from his vigil for the girl only long enough to see to his desk, check his mail. Whilst reading through a letter from Minerva, his fire grate flared to life.

Lucius walked from the flames and cast cleaning charm on his robes."Would you like a firewhiskey?" Severus asked without looking up from his letter.

Lucius smirked causing the worry lines in his forehead to crease, "Now, that is quite the greeting."

"Well, do you want some firewhiskey?" He asked again stepping to the sideboard and getting two glasses from beneath. "Merlin knows I do," he mumbled under his breath pouring far more than what could be deemed polite.

"Yes," Lucius replied folding himself into the sofa, resting his ankle across his knee and draping his arm upon the back of the sofa.

Handing Lucius the tumbler of amber liquid, Severus glared at the man sitting so lazily on his couch, "Well, what do you want at this hour?" he asked slamming back most of his firewhiskey and walking back to his desk.

"So, no 'how was your day'?" Lucius smirked. "Really, I think maintaining a proper amount of politeness would really make the world a better place, such as common pleasantries. If only—"

"Oh, do shut up." Severus said darkly swirling his glass. "Tell me what you want."

"Fine, fine. There is something to be said for a proper upbringing though. I want you to take Draco," Lucius said completely nonchalantly.

Severus eyes flashed suddenly with fear for a moment. _The girl…_ he thought. "What makes you think I'll take in a grown man?"

"The Dark Lord."

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A/N 1: Seeking a beta...

A/N 2: I'm not sure how often I can update, but here's the start anyway.


	2. As I Pondered Weak and Weary

Title: Beauty in the Breakdown

Unnecessary Disclaimer: Just borrowing for a time. I don't own anything except the mistakes and the plot.

_Previously…_

"_Fine, fine. There is something to be said for a proper upbringing though. I want you to take Draco," Lucius said completely nonchalantly._

_ Severus eyes flashed suddenly with fear for a moment. _The girl…_ he thought. "What makes you think I'll take in a grown man?" _

_ "The Dark Lord."_

* * *

Severus sighed and rubbed his hand down his face as he leaned back on his desk. He nodded slightly to show his acknowledgment.

"I knew you'd see sense. Besides nineteen does not make a grown man," Lucius said as he hunkered down and leaned on his knees, his pale hair shadowing his face from view. "This stays in the vault," he said more pensively. "Draco needs protection. I believe that getting him ensconced with you was my last reward from the Dark Lord."

Severus understood. The both of them had something of a falling out with Lord Voldemort since the incident on the Tower, a couple years back. Severus had been regulated to potions duty and not much else while in hiding. While Voldemort used Malfoy's home as base of operations, he rarely asked Lucius for anything and seemingly left them both bereft of any real orders besides staying out of the way. It was a strange limbo. They both felt as if they were being kept for something sinister down the road. _But what about the girl…_ Severus thought again. "Does Draco have a task?" He asked after a moment of introspection.

"Yes." Lucius said darkly pushing his hair out of his eyes.

"Well, I'm not going to beg." Severus replied nastily looking at the ochre coloured liquid still left in his glass. _Perhaps another_, he thought.

"He is to see to Miss Granger's education." Lucius said softly looking at the golden flames dancing in the grate.

Severus sputtered as he was taking the last swig of his firewhiskey. Astonished by the quick admission and surprised at the task. He asked, "What do you mean 'Education'?"

"Draco is to teach her the ways of being a proper Pureblood witch," Lucius said leaning back into the cushions. "The Dark Lord has great plans for that girl I assume, terrifying I'm sure. But great, none the less."

"And where is Granger?" Severus asked. Lucius seemed to know more then him but friend or foe, he didn't want to give her away. After all perhaps, she might still believe he was with the Order of the Phoenix and was there for any help he would give her. If he could, he would.

"Oh, Severus. I think we're both getting rusty. I assume she's somewhere up there," he chuckled and pointed up the stairs. "She was to come here, immediately after… Well, after." His voice had lost all of the previous joviality. Lucius did not care to repeat the things he saw, all under the ruse of initiation. It was the most brutal he had seen the Inner Circle since Fenir Greyback had claimed a number of women on the night of the full moon years ago. He could only hope she wouldn't remember his participation. He had tried to make his participation as painless as possible.

Severus moved to sit behind his mahogany desk. It was one of the few real luxuries he had allowed himself. "So what? Am I just supposed to let Draco use my home to torture Miss Granger into being a perfect, narcissistic, whimpering bitch? I'm just supposed to sit by and watch as two of the best pupils to come into my classroom become even greater pawns in war not meant for them," with every sentence Severus volume grew and he started to breathe heavier chest heaving. "Am I here to pick up her pieces time and time again? Am I here to report on Draco's effectiveness? Am I doing anything worthwhile anymore for either side of this bloody farce?"

"Severus, please calm down," Lucius shouted over Snape. He had not seen Severus with this many cracks in his carefully constructed façade since Lily. "If we don't get it together the both of them will die. I know that for both of us this is no longer about Pureblood vs. Mudblood. We chose the wrong side, now we will make up for it by making sure that someone survives."

"Really? Well I'm sure Granger would rather die then get violated anymore," he said venomously. "As surely that is the only way to salvation."

"SEVERUS!" Lucius finally all but screamed. "GET IT FUCKING TOGETHER! I DON'T NEED YOU FALLING APART NOW TOO. DID YOU HEAR ME? WE HAVE TO SAVE THEM! WE NEED YOU!"

Severus stared blankly forward. He couldn't believe he'd taken that line of thought, that he had been that vocal about his worries. He had been too disturbed by the casualties that this war was accumulating and it was taking its toll.

Lucius cloudy grey eyes stared in disbelief as he watched Severus sallow face. Severus jaw tightened, he drew his lips into a thin line, straightened his back and then looked down at the floor momentarily before looking back at Lucius. It was as if he pulled all his armour back into its place. Black eyes previously blazing with anger were now stony and cold. "When did you get a hero complex?" he asked Lucius facetiously.

Lucius smirked, "Oh, I don't know. When did you get so emotional?" he joked. "In all seriousness, though Severus, you're supposed to help Draco. While they are here, you and Draco are to educate her. Teach her the subtleties of Pureblood etiquette. She is not to be tortured or harmed anymore. Pettigrew will be leaving with me tonight. Draco is also to help you with potions." He said this all matter-of-factly. He slipped a hand into his cloak and drew out a long thin box and placed it on the table. "This is her wand, she is not to have it. Draco will be by tomorrow. Protect them from what you can." He said softly and removed himself from the sofa.

Severus just stared at the box on the table. Absentmindedly, he said, "The rat's caged down the cellar."

Lucius gave the man a curt nod and walked out of the room. Severus heard him murmur down the hall, "Merlin, help us all."

***

Severus watched the slow and steady rise and fall of Hermione's chest. He studied her noting the differences in her heart shaped face when compared to that first night. No longer littered with the ugly signs of torture, her skin was a slight shade of honey. A number of small scratches had disappeared. A thin white line on the underside of her left jaw was the only visible scar of whatever she had endured. No longer swollen shut, her eyes moved rapidly beneath the delicate skin of her eyelids. He waited for them to open. The longer it took for her to wake up the more he lost just a little bit of whatever hope a man like him still had.

Severus got out of his chair and he pulled back the bedclothes. Hermione was still naked amongst the sheets. He leaned over and subtly slipped his arms under her knees and behind her back to lift her. He was surprised when she curled into his warmth and then her breath hitched slightly as she grumbled, eyes still shut.

The whiskey coloured eyes Severus had been waiting on seeing, slowly opened and quickly shut. He sighed sorrowfully and continued to the bathroom. He placed her in a white claw-footed tub that he had filled with warm water and sweet smelling soaps. He rolled a towel and placed behind her head, slowly he lifted a flannel and suds it up with the tub water. He was going to start at her neck, but again the eyes opened. They stayed open this time.

"I—" Severus started but could not think of what to say. She'd been sleeping for six days now. His steady hand had erased any visible signs of torture, except for the Dark Mark and one or two scars. He decided on, "You needn't explain anything, Miss Granger." Perhaps their situation would be easier if she didn't have to talk about things, perhaps she had already repressed. "I will wait till you are ready."

Hermione stared at him for a long moment, eyes unreadable. "Um… thank you," she croaked softly and started coughing roughly.

Severus leaned over and brought a glass from near by to her lips. "Drink. It will feel better. I promise." Hermione nodded and sipped from the cup ever so slowly. "Would you like me to leave?" he inquired softly. "Do you think you can manage?"

Slowly, Hermione looked down at herself and realised she was in the bath. She shook her head in the negative and kept her eyes trained curiously on Severus.

Wordlessly, Severus resumed soaping up the flannel. He lifted her arm and softly rubbed the soap into her skin. He moved over to the other arm and up into her shoulder. Awkwardly, he slid the flannel over the valley and peaks of her breasts, even though he had done this a number of times already.

Amber and onyx locked on each other, she had an almost defiant look in her eyes. But he held her gaze as his hand travelled down her abdomen and between her legs. "Do you think you can sit forward?" He asked.

Gingerly, she grasped the sides of the tub and tried to pull herself forward. She tried again, but she hadn't the strength for it. Severus put one hand in front of her and one hand in back and propped her against his right arm. With his left he washed her back in slow soothing circles. "Do you think you could stay upright? I haven't properly washed your hair since you got here."

Hermione acquiesced and with a deep breath, she grasped the sides of the tub again to steady herself as Severus grabbed for an empty cup. He filled it with water from the tub and wet her hair, careful not get it in her eyes or face. She looked on as the water in the tub turned a pinkish colour and a small gasp escaped her lips. He vanished the now offending bathwater and refilled it again with the same sweet smelling warm water.

Severus began to massage her hair and scalp. Lavender and vanilla permeated the billows of steam around the bathroom. Hermione's eyes got heavy and fell shut as she gave into the sensation of having another, so tenderly wash her hair. A small moan escaped her flushed lips.

Shocked, Severus stopped moving his dexterous fingers. He squeezed out the remaining soapiness and filled the cup, a few times, with clean water to rinse her hair. She began to slump forward and Severus decided that it was enough.

The water drained from the tub as he worked a towel through her hair and down her body drying her before he lifted her out and brought her back to the bed. He covered her with the soft bedclothes. She was already sleeping again. "We will talk in the morning, Miss—Hermione," he said barely above a whisper.

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A/N 1: Well... ? I hope everyone likes. Thank you so much to those of you who reviewed or followed or are lurking :) Please let me know what you think of everything so far!

A/N 2: Still looking for a beta.... Any takers?


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